Delta Now Charging $60 For First Bag On International Basic Economy

Delta, the airline that recently had to emergency-land one of its aircraft because of overflowing toilets, is now providing passengers something that smells almost as bad.

Delta’s new contribution to international travel is a first-checked bag fee on “Basic Economy” international flights to Europe and North Africa. The fees are already in place for tickets purchased starting December 6, for flights departing April 10, 2018, or later. That’s just in time for bargain-seeking college students, Millennials and families doing spring and summer travel to Europe.

On these trans-Atlantic flights, the fee for your first checked bag in basic economy is a stiff $60. If you need a second bag, that will set you back another $100. And you can’t dodge the fees by trying a codeshare: Delta partners Air France-KLM and Alitalia will also charge the first checked bag fee.

The $60 first-bag fee comes on top of existing Basic Economy “features” such as no advance seat assignments, no eligibility for seat upgrades, no ticket changes permitted, families being separate, and always boarding in the last group.

Although it was the first of the “big three” U.S. airlines (American, United, Delta) to introduce Basic Economy, in 2012, Delta has been open that it doesn’t really want to sell Basic Economy tickets.

Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s president, said of Basic Economy on a third quarter earnings call in October, “The success of that product in our minds is not how many people buy it, but how many people don’t buy it and choose another product.” To that end, if international passengers avoid the low-price temptation of Basic Economy and instead buy Delta Main Cabin seats, they will still get that first checked bag free.

So far, there’s been no response to our query as to whether fellow Big Three members United and American will match the $60 baggage fee. However, history, and the continuing price war with the likes of WOW and Norwegian Air on competitive international routes, makes it likely that this latest Basic Economy indignity will spread.

In a similarly unpopular move, British Airways recently defended its decision to eliminate free food on European flights earlier this year, in favor of selling snacks and sandwiches from Marks & Spencer. CEO Alex Cruz insisted that by reaching into their wallets, customers are getting “more choice” and “better quality.”

Ending the free lunch was necessary to compete with its national airline peers and the dread ULCCs (ultra low cost carriers) he said. “Given some of the fares in the marketplace, we make no apology for making ourselves more efficient in various ways so we can consistently compete effectively.” And despite the cuts (and a plan to board passengers by how much they paid for their ticket) Cruz said BA remains “and always will be,” a premium airline.